Five Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip, according to medics and first responders. Palestinian officials said a drone targeted a group near a mosque in Beit Lahia on Wednesday evening.

The Israeli military said it struck what it described as a terrorist who had approached its troops near the Yellow Line and posed an immediate threat. A spokesman for Hamas condemned the attack, calling it a horrific massacre.

The strike comes amid a fragile ceasefire that has been in place since last October. Gaza health authorities say hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, while the Israeli military reports several of its soldiers have died in attacks by Palestinian armed groups. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

The conflict began after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 72,560 deaths, according to Gaza health officials.